Woman faces drug, assault charges in connection with Dec. 14 incident

A Nevada woman pleaded not guilty yesterday in Vernon County Circuit Court to face four felonies and two misdemeanors.

Rhonda Dobson, 49, stood before Judge Neal Quitno yesterday to be arraigned for the class C felonies of felonious restraint and possession of a controlled substance, two class D felonies for unlawful use of a weapon and two class A misdemeanors for assault in the third degree.

According to a report by Nevada Police Sgt. Casey Crain, on Dec. 14, police officers were dispatched to a Nevada home where a female subject was allegedly threatening persons with a handgun. Upon their arrival the two alleged victims, a male and female, along with a 16-year-old witness, told police that the woman fled the scene in a white, 2000 Jeep Cherokee.

According to the report, the victims claimed to have been confronted at their residence by Dobson, who grabbed the female victim's arm and told her that she was leaving with Dobson. When the victim told Dobson that she would not leave with her, Dobson reportedly took out a handgun and pointed it up against the victim's chest.

At this time the female victim yelled for help and the male exited the home to see Dobson holding the woman at gunpoint, the report said. Dobson allegedly stated that she was there to shoot and kill the female because of a suspected affair between her and Dobson's husband.

Both victims reportedly freed themselves from Dobson and fled into the home, where they called 911.

On Dec. 21, Sgt. Crain reported that he made contact with Dobson, who voluntarily agreed to respond to the Nevada Police Department. Upon her arrival Sgt. Crain began an interrogation of the suspect during which she refused to answer any questions in reference to the incident. Dobson was then taken into custody for investigation of her alleged crimes.

Sgt. Crain then contacted the Vernon County Sheriff's Office and learned that Dobson had registered a Taurus Model 85 .38 caliber handgun in 2005. Dobson admitted to owning the gun but refused to disclose its whereabouts. Dobson's car was impounded after she refused to allow a search of the vehicle.

After receiving a search warrant for Dobson's vehicle and residence, Sgt. Crain located and seized both the factory box along with the factory paperwork and receipt for the handgun within her home. Upon execution of the search warrant for Dobson's Jeep, Crain found a pill bottle containing approximately 16 pills labeled and identified as Xanax. The prescribed drug is considered a controlled substance and was not issued to Dobson. The pills were seized as evidence of illegal drug possession.

Dobson was held in Vernon County jail on $50,000 cash or surety and $2,500 cash or surety until she was able to bond out on Dec. 22 with the restriction that she was to have no contact with the female victim. She is set to re-appear in court for a pre-trial conference on Feb. 21.